ignition 90 degree off - is that even possible?

[russian]

I've got my spare BP engine rebuild recently and I am trying to start it on the hoist with a spare harness before it goes into the car.

Does not run. Starter spins it, there is fuel, there is spark- it does not run. After a couple of hours of troubleshooting we've opened the distributor cap to confirm timing, and found that instead of 1st cylinder TDC on the top distributor terminal, it is 3rd cylinder.

So, instead of 1 - 3 - 4 - 2, it is 3 - 4 - 2 - 1. As funny as it may seem the engine would even kinda run like that.

Am I crazy? Is the engine upside down internally?

(another issue - but it could be about poor wiring on the stand - the started would spin the engine easily with all plugs out. With two plugs, it would struggle to spin. With all four spark plugs it spins so poorly that it would not start. so far I have only seen this engine running on three cylinder - it has to have one plug out for started to be able to spin it fast enough)

Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?

[bravekozak]

Which direction does the rotor turn? Clockwise or counter-clockwise?

[russian]

Counter-clockwise i believe

[Americanclassicg]

I put a distributor on my old VW beetle 180 degrees off, and it ran.

Still not 100% on why though.

[FestYboy]

sounds like the starter can't draw enough current to spin the engine properly... make sure your power source is sizeable enough and then be sure that you have a minimum of 6ga power and ground wires to the starter/battery

[russian]

I've cleaned up wiring & used a freshly charged battery and I can now start the engine every time, with all plugs - this was in fact about poor connections.

Still, why is ignition 90 degrees backwards?

[russian]

Just for the record - engine would start with only distributor & injectors connected, without the VAF or any other sensor like the ones on the throttle body.

[Eaglefreek]

Are you sure cylinder #1 is at TDC on the compression stroke when you are seeing the rotor at #3?

I just realized you said 90 not 180 degrees out. Could the timing belt have slipped?

[blkfordsedan]

Just turn the distributor housing do the rotor points at #1 when the #1 cylinder is at TDC (or 10* BTDC). Make sure the plug wires are wired correctly, the rotor is positioned on the distributor shaft correctly (it may go on in several different orientations) and make sure you are on the compression stroke of cylinder #1 (both valves closed) and not the exhaust stroke. There really isn't anything that can be wrong other than that.

[russian]

All I know is that #1 is TDC while distributor rotor is pointing at "#3" (spot where #3 should be if wired by the book) (which it not should not, #1 and #4 go together - not #1 and #3, right?)

Also I know that the engine does not start is #1 wire goes to the upper distributor connector - I know it starts if everything is wires 90 degrees backwards, with #3 being the upper distributor connector. These BP distributors only go one way, and I have a reference vehicle six feet from the engine on the stand.., And spark plugs are wired differently.

I know I am supposed to swap distributors, but I did not do that yet.

[bravekozak]

The firing order of all Festivas is 1-3-4-2 reading counterclockwise.

[russian]

The firing order of all Festivas is 1-3-4-2 reading counterclockwise.

It is BP but firing order is the same. The order is fine, it's just that's it's offset. I guess the most solid theory now is that the inside of the distributor is messed up

[bravekozak]

russian, how did you end up solving this problem?

[russian]

russian, how did you end up solving this problem?

Did not solve it yet, but this engine goes into the car maybe in a couple of weeks. I hope the problem is inside the distributor, maybe the rotor is not where it should be?

[bravekozak]

As long as you find compression stroke on number one cylinder, and then go from there.